


We Make A Pretty Good Team

by multifandomgirll



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Crying, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hugs, Kissing, One Shot Collection, Romance, Sad and Happy, Smut, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:53:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21893953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multifandomgirll/pseuds/multifandomgirll
Summary: Just some oneshots of one of my favorite fictional ships, Jopper! I know there are others that love them just as much as I do, so I hope you like them!Enjoy!
Relationships: Joyce Byers & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Comments: 27
Kudos: 83





	1. My One and Only

Joyce Byers has never been one to easily find love. Lonnie was always abusing her, and having children certainly didn't help the situation. It just made everything worse. She thought she loved Bob, but those feelings were torn away from her when the demodogs tore him apart in front of her eyes. So Joyce thinks that she must be the most unlucky woman in the love department.

That doesn't change the fact that there was still a man in her life that she deeply cares about: Hopper. Currently, Joyce sits in the living room of her home, eating her dinner while watching television. She is all alone, and craves for someone to be close to. She thought about the times when her and Bob would cuddle together on the couch and watch _Cheers_ , and longed to have a gentle touch. She wanted someone to talk to. She wanted that person to be Hopper.

Joyce decided to give him a call. She dialed the number that she memorized years ago, and listened to the tone of the ringing. She thought that he wasn't going to answer when she finally heard his deep voice. "Hello?"

"Hop, it's Joyce."

"Is something wrong?"

 _Typical Hopper_ , Joyce thought to herself. _He's always worried about me and the kids._

"Can you come over? I just……I need someone to talk to."

"I'll be there in 10 minutes."

She hangs the phone back on the wall and sits back down to finish her meal. She was washing her dishes when she saw the headlights of the Chief's truck coming down the driveway. Joyce goes out the door to meet Hopper on the porch. He immediately enveloped her in a hug, his muscular arms holding her tight against his body. Tears slip down her face as he whispers, "Joyce, I'm here." He pulls away from her and wipes the tears from her face. "It's going to be alright."

"Is it really?" Joyce asks, her voice shaking from crying.

"I know it will be."

They head back inside the house to her bedroom and sit down on her bed. Hopper brings her body close to him, clutching her by the shoulders.

"What's troubling you, Joyce?"

Hopper knew the answer before she even responded. "It's Bob. His death still haunts me. I still have nightmares almost every single night. It hurts to think back on it, seeing him getting torn to pieces……" Joyce trails off as she starts to cry again, leaning her head on his shoulder for comfort.

The truth is, that wasn't the only kind of nightmares she was having. Sometimes she would have the same dream, but instead of Bob being attacked, it was Jim. The same events play out: her screaming, him reaching his hand out towards her as the demodogs rip at his flesh. It had made her realize how much she actually cared about him, maybe how much she was in love with him. But it felt wrong to Joyce, only it being a few months since Bob's passing. She only knew that she couldn't keep her feelings bottled up inside of her any longer.

"Jim"? she managed to croak after a few minutes of thinking.

"Yeah, Joyce?"

"I know this might sound crazy, like I'm out of my mind, but I've had these feelings for you for a long time, even when I was with Bob. I've been wanting to tell you, but I've been so afraid because it just feels so wrong. Bob's death is still a fresh memory, and yes, it still pains me, but you're the only one helping me get through it, and I guess that it's just made me fall in love with you."

Joyce kept her head on Hopper's shoulder, waiting for his response. He didn't move or say a word for a while, and she was beginning to thing that she screwed up. _God dammit, Joyce, you should have just kept your damn mouth shut._ Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hopper let out a sigh and turned towards Joyce.

"Joyce, I love you too."

"I knew it, I never should have said it, that was a huge--wait, what?" Joyce was in complete shock. Just she just hear him correctly? Did he just say that he loves her back?

"I've always loved you, from the day I first saw you when we were in high school. My feelings for you have never changed, and they never will."

Hopper couldn't hold back any longer. He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head, looking deep into her beautiful brown eyes. Joyce could sense what was happening, and butterflies filled her stomach. She hadn't felt that way since she was in her very first relationship back in high school. But that was nothing compared to what was occurring, as Jim leaned down and captured Joyce's lips on his own. 

Joyce didn't hesitate at all, kissing him back. His lips were soft and warm, and the feeling of his moustache against her smooth skin gave her a tickling sensation, which didn't bother her. The kiss got deeper, allowing them to explore each other's mouths more. Jim had been wanting to be intimate with Joyce, but he never had the guts to ask her out. He finally had his chance, and he couldn't have been happier to be with the woman he loves. He moved his hand up to cup her face, tangling the tips of his fingers in her soft hair. 

Soon the pair was gasping for breath. They broke apart, Hopper still gently touching her face. He looked into Joyce's eyes once again, noticing that there were still tears in her eyes. But when he saw her smile, he couldn't help but return one to her.

He then brought his hand to the back of her head and brought their foreheads together. Joyce couldn't help but whisper, "My one and only."

Hopper touched his lips to hers for a quick kiss before repeating her words. "My one and only."


	2. Nobody But You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written to the new duet from Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, "Nobody But You". I do recommend listening to the song either while reading or before you read, but the entire song is not written out.
> 
> There isn't much dialogue in this, since it was hard to write it in each tiny story included, so I am sorry for that.
> 
> Very light sexual content is included in this chapter.

_Don't have to leave this town to see the world_

_'Cause it's something that I gotta do_

_I don't wanna look back in 30 years_

_And wonder who you're married to_

Hopper and Joyce have been married for about a year, and things couldn't have been going smoother for them. They've been living together with El, Will, and Jonathan along for the ride, enjoying every second of each other's company. Before their marriage, Hopper had told Joyce that he didn't want her to leave him behind in Hawkins after she stated her plans of wanting to move. That was when they fell in love, and soon they had tied the knot in a private ceremony.

Jim was glad to have Joyce in his arms. He couldn't stand it when Lonnie came around, especially when Will initially went missing. And then she had gotten into her relationship with Bob, and Hopper couldn't help but get jealous. He felt terrible when he died, but now was a different story. Joyce was skeptical of moving on at first, but she gave in and took Hopper in, and when they kissed for the first time, it was like fireworks had gone off. They each didn't have to worry about the other. They were protected no matter what.

_Wanna say it now, wanna make it clear_

_For only you and God to hear_

_When you love someone, they say you set 'em free_

_But that ain't gonna work for me_

Jim had noticed when Will was possessed by the Mind Flayer, Joyce seemed to be trapped in a bubble, forced to stay inside. No matter how much Bob was there to make her feel loved, she still turned to Hopper for help. Joyce had came to the same conclusion with him, not being able to let go of his daughter years after her death. El remined Hopper constantly of Sara, and it was all he couldn't do to break down and weep in Joyce's arms. 

When Hopper confessed his love for Joyce, he had wanted to do it privately, away from all the kids, so that only God could hear his words of admiration for the love of his life. He had invited her to Enzos restaurant and they had a very lovely dinner together. That's when he had done it. After a little convincing on Jim's part, they given the relationship a try, and they have been inseparable ever since, never letting the other go.

_I don't wanna live without you_

_I don't wanna even breathe_

_I don't wanna dream about you_

_Wanna wake up with you next to me_

The first time that they had slept together was a night where all of the kids were at the Wheeler's house, and they were pleased to finally be alone to be intimate. Joyce was scared at first, since she hadn't been so close with someone since Lonnie, and those experiences were never the best. So when Hopper reassured her that everything was going to be fine, she kissed him as he grabbed he shirt, breaking their lips apart only to pull it over her head. Next thing they knew, they were laying on the bed, making love to each other, the feeling of bliss coming as he pushed himself inside her one last time. They soon fell asleep in each other's arms, and the next morning when Hopper woke, he turned around to see Joyce sleeping peacefully, her breathing steady, with a small smile on her lips. He couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she was.

_I don't wanna go down any other road now_

_I don't wanna love nobody but you_

_Lookin' in your eyes now, if I had to die now_

_I don't wanna love nobody but you_

Hopper truly thought that he was going to die when he had ventured into the Upside Down and got tangled in the vines. They pushed on his throat hard, cutting off his ability to breathe. The only thing he wanted if he were to die was to look into Joyce's eyes one last time, and as he thought of her face, closing his eyes, he heard her cry his name, and his eyes shot back open. He couldn't yell for her, even though he wanted to. 

"Hopper!" Joyce screamed at the top of her lungs as Bob joined her in the Upside Down. They continued to look around for what seemed like forever until they stumbled across Jim, lying there, motionless except for a hand that pointed at the knife on the ground. As soon as he was cut free, Joyce took his face in her hands.

"Hopper, are you okay? Are you okay?" she asked him, not wanting to let go of him.

"Joyce……" It was all that Jim could say. He was winded from not being able to breathe for so long, but seeing her looking at him the way she was, that was all he could have asked for.

_All the wasted days, all the wasted nights_

_I blame it all on being young_

_Got no regrets 'cause it got me here_

_But I don't wanna waste another one_

Thinking back on high school, Hopper had had a crush on Joyce since he saw her for the first time. She hadn't seem to notice him, since she always hung out with her friends. That all changed their junior year when Jim rose to be one of the popular students. Him and Joyce would get together under the bleachers and smoke cigarettes, but he had never gotten the courage to ask her out. Ever since then, he blamed their youth for not doing so. Now, Joyce and Hopper had everything they could have ever wanted, including each other.

_I been thinkin' about what I want in my life_

_It begins and ends the same_

_If I had to choose what I couldn't lose_

_There'd only be one thing_

The night that Hopper proposed marriage to Joyce was magical. He had decided to take her to the most fancy restaurant he could find in Hawkins and carried a box with a ring. He wanted the ring to be simple, so there was only was single diamond in the center. He knew that Joyce would love whatever he got for her no matter what. They had finished their dessert, him feeding her bites of the small, sweet and chocolatey cake sitting in front of them, and he had taken out the ring box from his pocket gotten down on one knee as she was wiping crumbs off of her face. She had then turned her head to look at him, and gasped in shock.

"Joyce, you are the love of my life, and I want us to be together. We've been through so much, and I couldn't have gotten through it without you, and I know you feel the same about me. There's nobody but you. So……will you marry me?"

Without hesitation, Joyce accepted and immediately smashed her lips to his as the rest of the people in the restaurant clapped and cheered for them. Hopper slipped the ring on her finger, the diamond shining from the lights hanging above them. Joyce wrapped her arms around Jim, holding him tightly, tears streaming down her face as he whispered in her ear, "There is nobody but you."

_I don't wanna live without you_

_I don't wanna even breathe_

_I don't wanna dream about you_

_Wanna wake up with you next to me_

_I don't wanna go down any other road now_

_I don't wanna love nobody but you_

_Lookin' in your eyes now, if I had to die now_

_I don't wanna love nobody but you_

_I don't wanna love nobody but you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this songfic! Thanks for reading!


	3. A Christmas to Remember

Both Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper have never been ones to get into the holiday spirit. So when the kids asked if they could decorate the house, they were pleased to not have to do it themselves, and they could finally have time devoted to each other. Will and El were the most excited, immediately getting the decorations out of the closet. Even Jonathan was in on the fun, taking a string of lights and heading outside to hang them from the roof. 

Soon the Christmas tree was put up, the tinsel was carefully placed, and the stockings were hanging from the wall. But while the chaos was still consuming the living room, Joyce and Hopper were sitting in their bedroom, currently listening to the fun.

"Color or white lights?" Will asked El, wanting to know her opinion.

"Can I see both?" she responded with excitement.

Will went to an outlet and plugged each of them in. Joyce could hear El squealing, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Color, for sure!" El decided, picking up the string to begin wrapping it around the tree.

Meanwhile, Joyce and Hopper were chatting amongst themselves, him wrapping an arm around her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent. "I'm so glad that we don't have to do the work this time. I hate putting up decorations," Joyce mumbled against his shirt.

"I do, too," Jim replied. "But it's nice to see the kids so happy, especially after everything that has happened."

Joyce understood what Hopper meant. When Will went missing, it destroyed her. Seeing him in pain when the Mind Flayer possessed him made her feel helpless. Bob's death shook her to the core, and it took her about six months for her to move on afterwards. In those times, she found comfort in Hopper, flying into his arms and crying into his chest, spilling everything she was feeling, and that eventually included her love for him. And here they are now, a week away from Christmas, and very much in love.

"Should we check on the kids, see how they're doing?" Joyce had wondered why there was sudden silence filling the house.

Hopper agreed, and they made their way out into the kitchen to see a completely decorated room. Joyce gasped in shock, taking in how beautifully the lights twinkled in the dimly lit room. Eleven and Will were hiding in their room, watching their parents' reactions. 

"Wow, this kids really did a wonderful job," Joyce whispered, still looking around the house. 

"They sure did," Jim said, grinning as he watched Joyce walk around, noticing how beautiful she looked in the Christmas lights.

Joyce wanted to see how Jonathan did with the lights outside, so she walked out onto the patio with Hopper, hand in hand, as Jonathan was stepping off of a ladder. He was about to go put it away when he saw them. "Well, what do you think?" he asked, smiling from ear to ear.

The three of them stood there as they took in the sight, bringing tears to Joyce's eyes. "It's beautiful, sweetheart," she answered, leaning into Hopper, clutching his hand as tightly as she could, never wanting to let go.

They walked back into the warmth of the house, Joyce and Hopper settling down on the couch in front of the television. For the first time in years, Jim could feel the joy of the holidays, and he could tell that Joyce did too as her smile never faded from her face. He looked up to notice some mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. He got up, taking Joyce's hand, and guiding her under the plant. "Mind if I steal a kiss?" he requested, deeply gazing into her beautiful brown eyes. 

"I don't mind one bit," she said softly.

Hopper cupped her face in his hands and brought her lips to his, kissing her sweetly. Joyce placed her hands on the back of his neck and moved her mouth in sync with his. The couple stood there for a while, their bodies pushed together, feeling every inch of each other. Their tongues danced, and Jim picked up Joyce off of her feet. She chuckled as she wrapped her legs around his waist, colliding their lips once more. He carried her back to the couch, laying her down carefully so he didn't hurt her, and climbed on top of her, kissing her again. Joyce moaned into his mouth, liking the feel of his soft lips and the way his hands caressed her body. She was reaching for the hem of his pants when they heard voices yell, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!"

Joyce and Hopper jumped, him falling to the floor and landing on his back. They both laughed as they saw it was Will, Eleven, and Jonathan, all wearing Christmas hats with festive sweaters and pajama pants. "Come on, we have some for you guys, too!" El exclaimed.

Joyce and Hopper changed into their holiday clothes and returned to the kids, who were gathered around on the floor playing a card game. "You guys wanna play?" Will asked, holding out a deck of cards toward them. 

And that was the year that Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers finally had a Christmas to remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was short, but I wanted to write something for Christmas, so I hope you enjoy it. Happy Holidays!


	4. A Hawkins New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note on this, Eleven never went to the Upside Down after she killed the Demogorgon at the end of season 1, but she still stayed with Hopper. So obviously her and Mike are together here.  
> Enjoy!

It was a week after Christmas, and everyone was gathered in front of the television, 5 minutes remaining until the new year. Mike had his arm around Eleven, holding her against him. Jonathan held Nancy's hand, rubbing it with his thumb, smiles on both of their faces. Will was excited as could be, grasping a confetti blaster, a pair of 1984 glasses on his face. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits. Well, everyone except for Joyce.

At this point, Joyce felt alone. As she watched the kids she couldn't stop thinking about what had happened throughout the past few months. Will had gone missing, and that had terrified her, chilled her to the bone. She thought she had lost him forever, and that was what she had feared most in the world. Not even Lonnie screaming at her, hitting her, could make her so scared. 

When Will was found, Joyce was over the moon. She had her baby boy back in her arms, and couldn't wait to see him be happy with his friends again. But while all of that did happen, she still felt like there was a giant pit in her stomach, like something, or someone, was missing.

_4 minutes remaining........._

Joyce stood in the kitchen, washing dishes from the snack that they just had, and her thoughts began to run wild. She thought of Hopper, how much she missed him. She needed him more than she ever thought she would. 

She hadn't had a New Year's kiss in a long time, and she didn't think that she would ever have one again. There was no one that loved as much as she loved them. 

She wished that Jim were here to cuddle her, to hold her close, to tell her that he loves her, that everything is going to be okay. She wanted to cry in the comfort of his arms, for him to protect her from the hideous monster that they faced earlier in the year. 

"Mom, are you coming to watch the ball drop?" Will asked from living room, raising his voice so Joyce could hear him, snapping her out of her daze.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'm coming right now," she responding, making her way to the couch where everyone was seated.

_3 minutes remaining.........._

Joyce smiled as she sat next to Will, kissing him on the head before turning her attention to the television. The broadcast was from New York City in Times Square, the countdown ticking in the corner of the screen. The ball could just be seen at the top of the screen, lighting up the entire city. 

Although she had a smile on her face, Joyce still had her mind on the horrors she faced that year, including the one in the very living room she sat in, when Will had spoken to her through the Christmas lights hanging on the walls that told her to run, the Demogorgon breaking through the wall behind her......it was almost too much for her to bear, but she had to. The kids were of more importance than her feelings at the moment.

_2 minutes remaining.........._

"We've got some more New Year's stuff, did you want something, Mrs. Byers?" Mike questioned her, holding a headband that had the text Happy New Year sticking up on it.

Joyce accepted the headband and placed it on her head, beginning to feel better, pushing her dark memories out of her mind. She laughed when El put on a pair of goofy glasses and made a goofy face. _I can at least be happy for her,_ she thought to herself. _It's her first New Year's celebration. This is special to her._

_1 minute remaining..........._

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Jonathan began to get up from where he was sitting on the floor, but Joyce stopped it. "Don't worry about it honey, I got it."

She made her way towards the door, wondering who would come knocking at this time of night. She opened it and gasped as she saw Hopper standing in front of her.

_30 seconds remaining............_

"Joyce....." he trailed off, staring deep into her beautiful brown eyes.

"Is there something you need Hop?" she murmured, lowing her gaze to look at the floor.

The kids began to shout as the final seconds went down.

_10.....9.....8.....7.....6....._

Hopper cupped Joyce's face in his hands, moving his thumb along the smooth skin of her face.

_5.....4.....3....._

He was leaning towards her, the gap between their lips growing smaller and smaller as the seconds went by.

_2.....1....._

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!" the kids shouted in unison.

As Will's confetti canon went off with a pop, Jim placed his lips on Joyce's, kissing her softly. It was what she had least expected when she answered the door, but she had longed for this moment for too long. She kissed him back, smiling against his mouth when she felt the tickle of his moustache on her skin. Joyce pulled away as the kids were still hollering. She turned to look at them, watching Jonathan holding Nancy close to him as he pecked her lips, Mike and El sharing a short kiss before Will interrupted them, bouncing down on the couch next to them, scaring them.

Joyce brought her attention back to Hopper, her hands resting on his shoulders, a smile curling upwards on his lips. 

"Happy New Year, Joyce," he muttered as he pulled her into a hug, kicking the door behind him so it would shut. 

"Happy New Year, Hop," she replied, lightly kissing him one more time.

"You look cute by the way, with that headband on."

"Oh shut up, Hopper," Joyce said, gently punching him in the arm as they made their way back to the living room to join the kids, the spirit of the new year higher than it had ever been before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that 2020 is great to all of you. Happy New Year!


	5. The First Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This oneshot contains sexual content/smut, so if you are not comfortable with reading it, you can move on to the next chapter.
> 
> Set in season 3 when Murray tells them to "tear off those clothes and get it over with already".

They had decided to make a pit stop on their way back to Hawkins. "Alright, get out. Both of you," Hopper says sternly to Murray and Alexi sitting in the back seat of the car. He kept his eyes on them as they made their way inside the gas station building, making sure they were out of sight. Jim had been afraid to say it, but Murray had been completely right about what he said to him about his feelings for Joyce, and he was pretty sure she felt the same way, telling by the nervous look currently upon her face. He couldn't help but stare at how beautiful she was, noticing how she bit her lip and looked down at her hands in her lap. When she finally glanced at him, Hopper could see the twinkle in her chocolate brown eyes from the moonlight above them.

"Joyce, I have something to tell you--"

"Murray was right. About everything."

"W-what?"

"Everything that he said about me and my feelings for you. He was right."

They stared at each other for who knows how long until they couldn't take it anymore. They leaned towards each other and joined their lips together. Hopper brought his hand up to cup her face as Joyce moaned into his mouth. She began to fiddle with the buttons on his shirt when he pulled away. 

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, worrying she messed up somehow.

"We need more room."

"Back seat?"

Without any hesitation, Jim made his way out of the car, went around to the other side and picked Joyce up. She giggled, wrapping her legs around his waist as she kissed him once more, feeling the cushion of the seat underneath her as Hopper gently laid her down, never breaking contact with her lips. Joyce began to work on the buttons of his shirt again as he worked at hers, breaking their kiss only to remove them from their bodies. He kissed her again before trailing to her neck, sucking on her smooth skin. Joyce gasped, breathing heavily as her hand travelled down to his pants. Hopper grunted when he felt her finger brush his erection.

They broke apart for a minute, wanting to catch their breaths before going any farther, looking deep into each other's eyes. "May I?" Jim asked, his hand making their way to Joyce's back. She nodded as he unclipped her bra, and she threw it over the seat. For only a moment did Hopper gape in awe of how beautiful her body was before he attached his lips to her left breast.

Joyce moaned as his tongue swirled around her nipple, and she began to feel a wetness between her legs. Jim gave attention to the other breast before locking their mouths again, their tongues dancing before breaking apart, her panting as he unzipped her jeans. They were both soon completely naked, and after Hopper slipped a condom over his erection, he looked to Joyce for approval once again. 

"Come on Hop, just-- _OHHHHHH!!!!!_ "

Joyce's words were cut off as Jim pushed himself inside her, her moan loud enough that if anyone was close by they could hear it. She dug her nails into his back, holding him close to her as the pace of his thrusts quickened. 

"Oh, Joyce....." Hopper managed to breathe out as he continued to pound into her, feeling her begin to tighten around him.

"Oh my god, HOPPER!!!!!!" Joyce screamed, and soon she gave in to the pleasure, coming to her release. Just as she was coming down from her high, Jim came as well, and both were out of breath.

After giving themselves a minute to recover, they looked at each other once more. "I love you, Joyce," Hopper muttered, so soft that she could barely hear.

"I love you too, Jim."

He smiled, happy that she had finally called him by his first name.

Joyce looked towards the gas station building to see Murray and Alexi through the window, their backs towards them, paying for the snacks that were sitting in front of them on the counter. "Oh, shit!" she exclaimed.

And as fast as they could, Joyce and Hopper jumped out of the car and dressed in their clothes, and they were back sitting in the car, ready to go just as Murray and Alexi came out of the building, acting like nothing happened. But they both knew that something did happen, and as they took off for the road, Jim reached over and grasped Joyce's hand and looked at her with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is so so short, and I'm really sorry for that, but it has been a while since I've updated, and this is the first time that I have ever written smut. I hope you enjoyed it!


	6. The Illness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a warning for this one. This chapter may cause extreme sadness and you may cry. I got this idea from a prompt that I saw and I thought I should write it. It will be upsetting, but I still hope you enjoy it nonetheless.
> 
> Thank you for reading to this point so far if you've been here since the beginning! I truly appreciate it.

"She's sick! She may be dying, and she's all alone!" Jonathan exclaimed on the phone to Hopper on the other line. He heard silence, then a smack as the phone hit the floor, and he hung up.

Joyce had been diagnosed with the flu just one week before. She thought that it would be just like any other sickness, but she was completely wrong. He symptoms began to worsen, and she went back to the doctor. The news that they gave her left her in complete shock.

"I'm so sorry Ms. Byers, but your case of influenza is very severe. People die from this illness, and I'm afraid you don't have much time left yourself. It would be best for you to stay home and rest, and try to say goodbye."

Joyce couldn't stop crying as Jonathan drove her home that day. It was the hardest thing for her to tell him and Will. Since then, the tears continued to roll down her face and she begged to see Hopper, to see the one person that she loved and cared about just as much as she did her children.

Jim arrived at the Byers house, letting out a sigh before heading inside. He gaped at how dirty the place was. The counters were a mess, papers scattered around them. The sink was full of dishes from the past week, the kids not bothering to wash them. A thin layer of dust covered the floor, and articles of clothing were laying everywhere in the living room. At that moment, Hopper decided that he would help clean up, but not before he saw Joyce.

Joyce has been bedridden for days, not being able to find the strength to get up and walk around, that being the reason why the house was such a mess. When she heard footsteps enter her room, she looked up to see Jim standing in the doorway, tears filling his eyes. 

"Joyce....." he whispered. It was all he could muster, taking in the state she was in. Her skin had gotten pale, her lips were chapped, and her eyes lacked the twinkle that Hopper loved so much. She was sweating, but when Jim sat on the bed next to her and cupped her face in his hands, she felt cold to the touch. 

"Jim....." she croaked in response, resulting in a series of coughs. Jim handed her a tissue and pulled her close to him, kissing the top of her head as she blew her nose. 

They stayed that way for what felt like hours before Joyce spoke again. "Hop, I don't want to die. Who's going to take care of the kids? What are they going to do without their mother?"

"Joyce, you're going to make it. I know you are. You're tough, you can power through this."

"But that's the thing, I'm not. I won't." She began to sob into his chest, gripping his shirt, her knuckles turning whiter than her already pale skin. He soothingly rubbed her back, eventually calming her down.

"Why don't you get some sleep, and I'll clean up the house a little. How does that sound?" Hopper asked.

"No, don't leave me, I need you."

"I'll be here. I'll be right by your side until the very end. I'll never leave you."

Joyce sniffled and nodded in response, laying her head back down on her pillow. Only a minute had passed before she was asleep, and he sat there, listening to her breathing before getting up to clean.

He passed Will's bedroom while walking down the hallway and peered inside. He saw him sitting on the bed, his knees brought up under his chin. He was crying, tear streaks covering his face. Jim knocked on the door softly before entering the room. "Hey kid. I know this is hard, but your mom's a fighter. She would want you to be strong. She loves you, ok bud?"

Will sat in silence, turning his head away, his weeping filling the room. Hopper decided that it wasn't the best time to talk to him, so he left and got to cleaning the house, starting with the dishes. By the time he was finished with everything, 2 hours had passed. He went back into the Joyce's bedroom to see her sitting up on her bed, reading a book. He sat down next to her, not able to keep her eyes off of her. Even though she looked sickly, she was still the most beautiful woman that Jim had ever seen. Joyce closed her book when she was done with a chapter and looked up at him, gazing into his eyes. He couldn't stop himself when he leaned down and touched his lips to hers, kissing her softly. Her feelings took over her as she kissed him back, smiling as she felt the tickle of his moustache against her skin. When they broke apart, she placed her head on his shoulder, allowing even more tears to escape her eyes, watching them drip onto the sheets covering her. 

Soon Joyce was asleep once again, and Hopper gently picked her head up and put it down on her pillow. He then leaned down and lightly kissed her forehead before murmuring, "I love you, Joyce." He never left her side, grasping her hand in his, feeling her pulse slowly die out when she passed away that night, never to wake again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got so upset writing this. I feel so bad for doing that to Joyce, since she means so much to me, but I hope you liked it. Trust me, I don't think I'll be doing anything like this again anytime soon. See you all in the next one!


	7. It's Just Me and You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU for the movie called The Mountain Between Us, which is based on a book and is my favorite movie of all time. If you don't know the story, I suggest looking it up before reading this. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy!

Hopper opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, but he was stiff. Then he remembered. _The plane crashed. We crashed._ After working his way to a sitting position, he found Joyce laying beside him, unconscious. He checked to make sure she was still alive, feeling her pulse against his fingers. "You're there," he breathed with a sigh of relief. 

He tried to get up and walk around, but couldn't once he felt a searing pain. He lifted his shirt to find bloody scratches on his skin. Jim grabbed some of the snow next to him and placed it on the wound. Checking over Joyce once more, he noticed that her leg was broken. He knew that when she woke that she wouldn't be able to walk for a while. He found the brace that he had in his bag and wrapped it around her leg, tying it tight so it wouldn't come off. As he was doing so, he heard a small whine to his left. He looked over and saw the pilot's dog. "Of course you're alive," he muttered, a smirk appearing on his face.

Hopper finally managed to go outside, and when he did, he found the pilot, face down in the snow. He checked for a pulse, but felt nothing. 

The next morning, Joyce was still unconscious next to him. He cleaned the dried blood that was on her face and decided to take a look at where they had landed. His heart sank as he took in his surroundings. Mountains. Snowy, cold mountains, as far as the eye could see. "HELLO!!!!!" Jim yelled, hoping someone would hear him. "ANYBODY!!!!" No response was heard. _We're alone._

* * *

Three more days had passed before Joyce stirred beside Hopper. She groaned as she woke, feeling the pain of her leg. "Hop....." she murmured. 

"Joyce....." His response was the only thing he could muster.

"Where are we?"

"You're in the plane. We crashed. Your leg is broken, so I wouldn't try walking on it for a while. There's nothing out there but snow and mountains."

"How long has it been?"

"Three days."

"Well we can't just sit here, we have to go and see if we can find anything."

"I looked, Joyce, there's nothing out there for miles. If we stay here, we're safe. If we leave, search and rescue, they're less likely to find us."

"Look, I don't want to die up here because you're to scared to take a risk. We have to do something."

Jim stared at, anger beginning to boil up inside of him. _No. Don't get worked up, she just wants to go home._

"I'm going to go have a look around, find something to light a fire."

"Here take this with you." Joyce pulled her camera out of her bag and handed it to him. "There's a lens on it that can help you see farther. Just be careful."

"I will. I'll be back in an hour."

"Jim? If you want to leave and not turn back, I'd understand--"

"I won't. I would never do that to you."

* * *

It was almost an hour since Hopper had left to explore, and Joyce was starting to worry. The dog was laying next to her, and she ran her hand through it's fur, calming herself down a little. That was when she heard a noise coming from the roof.

_THUMP._

"What could that be?" Joyce asked herself, craning her next up to try and see from the window above her. She saw a paw come into view and heard a snarl, and the worst thoughts started to swarm her head. 

"Oh god, oh god, what do I do?" She begins to panic as she reaches into her mind to think of something to get rid of the cougar currently prowling outside the hole the plane made when it crashed. A few seconds later, the dog began to bark, and before she knew it, it ran out to confront the enemy. Joyce squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the dog howl, and she knew that it was hurt. "Shit, I have to do something," And then she finally thought of it. _The flare._

Joyce quickly reached over to the bag beside her and pulled out the flare, putting it together as fast as she could as the cougar entered the inside of the plane, getting ready to pounce. She got it ready to go with a second to spare, pulling the rope attached to it and firing it straight at the animal's head. Red sparks flooded her vision as she heard the cougar groan in pain.

A few minutes later, Joyce could hear footsteps as Jim returned to the plane. "Joyce! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! A cougar....."

"It's alright, I'm here." He stayed there by her side until they both fell asleep that night.

* * *

They had decided to leave the plane behind the next morning in search of better shelter, since the plane was starting to get very cramped. Joyce made herself a stick to walk with so she get through the deep snow easier, and Hopper trudged through it with her, with the dog following close behind.

They walked for days on end, sleeping whenever they could in caves that they found throughout the journey. They were getting closer to a forest when Joyce asked to rest. Her leg was throbbing as she sat down on a log that was nearby, propping it up next to her. Jim sat next to her for a moment before getting back up again. "I'm going to look around a bit, see if there's anything around here that could be useful. I'll be right back."

"Okay, don't take too long. I don't like being alone out here."

She watched as he walked away, taking the dog with him. Five minutes later, she was still sitting there and Hopper hadn't returned yet. "Hop?" Joyce asked as she slowly stood. "Hopper?!" she shouted again. That was when she could hear cracking under her feet. 

Using her foot, she pushed away the snow and saw ice starting to break underneath her. Footsteps were coming closer, as well as a yell of her name. "Joyce!"

"HOPPER!" Joyce screamed one more time before the ice gave way beneath her and she plunged into the deep, cold water.

* * *

Joyce opened her eyes. She looked over to see Jim sitting next to her, holding her hand. "Jim?" she croaked.

"Oh thank god, you're awake. I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up." Hopper exclaimed with relief.

"Where are we?"

"A cabin I found the other day before you fell in the water. And I'm sorry I couldn't get to you in time. I had to use all my strength to pull you out."

"It's okay. I'm alive and that's what matters.

The next morning, Hopper was gathering his coat and boots, putting them on so he could look for firewood and food with the dog, as well as any places for signs of other people. "I'll be back soon, alright?"

"Okay....." Joyce whispered in response. She then wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug. He held her small body against his own, feeling her warmth and breathing in the smell of her hair. When they let go, Joyce leaned towards him and pecked his lips. They stood there, looking into each other's eyes before they locked their lips together once more for a scorching kiss. Hopper was taking off the coat that he had just put on, throwing it onto the floor as Joyce was removing one of her shirts from the many layers she had on. They kissed once more as Jim picked her up and led her to the bed in the other room, and they made love to each other like they were the last people on Earth.

* * *

Two days later, Joyce and Hopper made their way towards a logging company that he had found while looking around the day before. He could tell that people were there by the semi trucks going in and out of the place. So they went through more snow, finding a pathway leading straight to their destination.

"Do you need to take a break?" Jim asked.

Joyce nodded in response as she sat down, the dog taking a place next to her.

"I'm going to go look around a bit, I'll be right back."

He turned and walked away from her, but he didn't get far before he ran into trouble. He took a step and heard a clanking sound as an animal trap clamped around his foot. "AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" he yelled in pain as he fell to the ground. 

"HOPPER!" Joyce screamed, slowly making her way to him. She plopped down on the ground next to the trap and pulled on it, trying to get the jaws to open and free his foot. 

"Joyce, STOP!" He shouted it, getting her attention. "It's no use! Go get help!"

"No, I'm not leaving you!"

"GO!"

That was all she needed to hear. The dog stayed with Hopper as Joyce went as fast as she could to the logging company, her leg in excruciating pain as she limped along. She didn't know how long it took her before she got there. The last thing she remembered was seeing a semi truck heading towards her, yelling for it to stop, and collapsing to the ground, hearing someone run up to her to help, and thinking to herself, _we made it. We're alive. We're going to be okay._


	8. Magical Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a Hogwarts AU, where Hopper is a Gryffindor and Joyce is a Hufflepuff. They met in their first year, and this takes place in their fifth year, close to the OWLS. One day they find the Room of Requirement, and would sneak off every day to study together, until one study session turns into more magic.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this!

It's close to the end of her fifth year at Hogwarts, and Joyce was preparing for her OWL examinations, studying hard and practicing spells before the big tests come. One day she entered her Transfiguration class and sat next to her best friend Jim Hopper. "Hey, I wonder what Professor McGonagall has in store for us today," Joyce stated as she placed her books and parchment paper on her desk, her wand sticking out of the pocket on the inside of her robe.

"I don't know, but it's probably going to include another one of those lectures about studying for our OWLS," Hopper replied with an eyeroll.

"Well, I get why she's doing it. She wants us to do well. Aren't you studying, Hop?"

Jim scoffed in disgust. "Um, no."

"Hopper! You'll fail if you don't! Professors would be very upset to see one of their best Gryffindor students get a troll grade on all of their exams, especially McGonagall."

"I'll be fine."

"Like hell you will!"

"Language, Ms. Horowitz," Professor McGonagall called out as she walked in the room. "5 points from Hufflepuff."

Joyce sighed as McGonagall made her way to the front of the classroom and began to teach the lesson of the day. "Today you will be learning the Vanishing Spell, which is used to make animate and inanimate objects disappear. Choose a partner to work with on learning this spell, and practice with each other. This will be on your OWL, so precision is key."

A cauldron sat in front of Joyce and Hopper as they tried to get it to vanish. " _Evanesco!"_ Joyce aimed her wand in concentration, but nothing happened. "Am I doing something wrong?" she asked in disappointment.

"I think you're just flourishing the wrong syllable," Hopper responds.

He points his wand at the cauldron, closes his eyes for a moment, then performs the incantation. " _Evanesco!"_ The cauldron disappeared right before their eyes. 

"Nice work, Jim! And on the first try, too." McGonagall exclaimed with glee, standing behind them. "5 points to Gryffindor."

Joyce looked at Hopper, bumping him on the shoulder. "See? Now if you just study a little before the exams, you'll do great!"

* * *

After class, Joyce and Hopper were taking some of their free time to stroll around the corridors of Hogwarts castle. Ever since they met, they've been doing this, enjoying each other's company before each other their classes. As they walked past a wall, their conversation was interrupted by a crumbling sound. "Did you hear that?" Joyce asked in confusion.

"Hey Joyce, take a look at this."

She turned around to see Jim standing in front of a large, black door, taller than the both of them combined. "Well, should we open it?" Joyce glanced at Hopper before pulling the door open. They walked inside to see what looked a common room, but not like the ones in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff houses. There was something else about it that made it the most perfect place to do some studying.

"Jim, we found the Room of Requirement."

"The what?"

"The Room of Requirement. It reveals itself to a person in need of the room and changes the inside to what the person needs."

"I agreed to study with you, and we needed a more quite place to do so."

"I was thinking about it as we were walking by. That's how it appeared."

Hopper closed the door behind them and took one more look around the room. "Do you think we could do some studying before our next class then? I need to look over some stuff for Potions. Snape has been on my back lately. He's noticing that I'm slacking a little."

"Of course, I can help if you want."

* * *

Day after day, Joyce and Hopper would secretly use the Room of Requirement and study for their OWLS, practicing spells and quizzing each other on the material. They never told anyone about the room because they wanted to keep it to themselves. Once in a while, they would have a duel and try to disarm each other. Those days were Joyce's favorites. She had fun stunning Jim, and sometimes winning the duel. Hopper liked them too, and they would laugh and laugh until they couldn't anymore. They both had never felt closer to each other until now because of these sessions.

As the exams neared, the pair were on their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts when Joyce got up the courage to ask Hopper, "Hey, you know how to cast the Patronus Charm, right?"

"Yeah, I do. Difficult to learn, but I'm glad I did. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could teach it to me when we're studying later. I want to learn it just in case it might be useful during the exams." From the beginning, Joyce had always been determined to learn all that she could, which is part of the reason why she was sorted into Hufflepuff. It's one of the things that Hopper liked about her the most, besides her caring and beautiful personality.

"Sure, no problem."

Later that day, the two of them were standing in the Room of Requirement, Joyce getting ready to try the spell for the first time. "Alright, you remember what I said to do?"

"Focus on my most happy memory, the most powerful one I can think of. Then say Expecto Patronum."

"Right. Now give it a shot. I'm rooting for you. You got this."

Joyce thought long and hard about the memory she was going to choose. Then she thought of it: the moment she met Jim Hopper, her best friend and the person that she was in love with, the one that made every moment at Hogwarts the best ones of her life.

" _Expecto Patronum!_ " she shouted. White mist swirled from the tip of her wand, and a second later, the form of a hare was seen bouncing around her. She giggled as it disappeared from view.

"Joyce, that was amazing!" Hopper yelled. "I didn't even do it on the first try!"

He ran over to her and picked her up, spinning her around and enveloping her in a hug. Joyce laughed again and clung onto him before she was put down moments later. His hands were holding her at her waist, and he's looking deep into her brown eyes. Her heart was thumping out of her chest as he leaned down and captured her lips with his own.

Jim brought one of his hands up to cup her face as the kiss deepened, their lips moving in sync with each other. Joyce felt a fire in her belly that she's never felt before, and she didn't want it to end. But it had to. Hopper pulled away, still holding her face, watching as she slowly opened her eyes to look at him. "Wow," she breathed out, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm in love with you, Joyce," Jim whispered, pulling her into another embrace.

Joyce smiled, taking in his scent. "I'm in love with you, too."

Hopper pulls his wand out of his pocket and murmurs a spell not audible enough for her to hear. She suddenly feels something lightly falling onto her. She let go of him and looked around the room to see rose petals all around them, slowly making their way to rest on the floor or in their hair. Joyce chuckled as she got on her tiptoes and kisses Jim once again, the feeling of magical love filling the room. 


	9. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is based on the teaser trailer of Hopper being alive. Joyce and Murray team up and go to Russia to save him, but there are some problems along the way. A slight warning, there is one mention of gore in this. If you can't handle it, then I advise skipping that part.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

_This is crazy. I saw him die. And now I'm going to go rescue him. Hopper, the one I love, the one person that I can't be without._

Joyce's thoughts were running wild as she and Murray were making their way to the Russian prison where Jim is being held. Neither of them knew what they were getting themselves into, but what mattered to them the most was making sure that Hopper was free and alive. And if Joyce had to die saving him, she would be fine with it. At least her children would have him to take care of them.

As they neared the prison, Joyce started to chew on her nails, getting more and more anxious the closer they got. She was definitely nervous, and she didn't doubt that Murray was too, but she could see it just around the corner, the roof looming in the black night, and she knew that it was time to be serious.

"Alright, now we're disguised as them," Murray whispered as he began to go over the plan once again. "Remember, I'm going to do the talking, alright? Don't say a word. They have guns. I don't want you getting shot, okay?"

"Okay, I won't say anything."

"Good. Follow me, and don't make eye contact with anyone."

And then they slowly entered the prison, trying to be as unnoticeable as possible. They were making their way towards the building, and Joyce noticed two guards standing in front of the door. _Shit!_ Joyce thought as she began to panic, and Murray noticed, glaring at her, and soon she calmed down.

The next couple of minutes went by in a blur. Murray was speaking with the Russian guards, and she couldn't understand a word he was saying. She just stood there, and she felt helpless. _I thought I was helping save Hopper, and here I am, doing absolutely nothing._

Soon the guards let them pass, the door opening for them, and they walked through, hearing the door clang shut behind them as they moved onward.

"Okay, we're in. Now I heard some radio intel saying what cell Jim is in, and I think I know where it is," Murray spoke softly so no one around them could hear him. "There will be a guard, and he'll have a key. We just have to get it from them somehow."

"How in the hell are we supposed to do that?" Joyce asked.

"I don't know. But we'll figure it out."

They found the place that they were looking for, which was behind another door. Only one guard was in the area, and Joyce noticed a key hanging from the belt on his pants. She nudged Murray and nodded her head towards it, and he nodded in return.

They came up to the guard, and Murray started to speak to him, and as the conversation went on, Joyce could tell that it wasn't going well by the look on Murray's face. She felt helpless once again, but this time, she knew she had to do something. She looked at the guard and not only did he have the key to the cells, but he also had a gun. If only there was some way that they could take it away from him.....

And then it hit her. She punched Mayor Kline once, and she was sure she could do it again, even though this guy was going to be tough to beat. But she knew she had to try.

Joyce immediately interrupted as Murray was speaking and shouted, "Hey, buddy! Get a load of this!"

She brought her fist back and drove it as hard as she could towards the guard, striking him in the face. The blow caused the guard to hit his head on the door behind him, but before he could recover, Joyce punched him in the gut, and kicked him between his legs as he was doubled over. The guard fell to the ground. "Grab his gun!" she yelled to Murray, and he did as he was told, along with taking the key. 

"Now what do you want me to do?"

"Oh, just give me the gun, god dammit."

Joyce snatched the gun from Murray's hands and pointed it towards the guard. She thought she could do it. It isn't that hard. She's seen Hopper do it a million times. All she had to do was pull the trigger. And that is just what she did.

She aimed the end towards the guard's head and closed her eyes as it went off, the bullet entering his skull, killing him immediately. Joyce could feel blood splatter on to her face, but it didn't matter. It meant that they were one step closer to getting to Hopper.

Suddenly alarms began to blare around them, and Joyce and Murray looked at each other with fear. "We have to hurry up, let's go."

They opened the door in front of them and entered the next section, closing it behind them to make sure other Russians couldn't get in right away. Joyce took the lead, going ahead of Murray and looking into every cell, trying to get a glimpse of Hopper. She tried softly calling him name. "Hopper! Are you here?"

"Joyce?" a voice croaked from the cell at the other end of the hall.

"Hopper!" Joyce said again, louder than before.

"Joyce! Help me!" Hopper yelled.

"I'm coming! Murray, I need the key!"

Murray tossed the key to her, and she caught it with one hand, running toward him, the love of her life, the one that she has always wanted to be with. She finally reached it, and peered inside through the small opening in the door, and saw Hopper sitting on the ground, his back against the wall. "Hopper!"

Jim abruptly turned his head when he heard her voice, locking eyes with her. He scrambled to the door, badly wanting to touch her face, just to feel if she was real. He couldn't believe that she was standing there, her hands shaking as she quickly unlocked the door and jerked it open. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other, until Joyce couldn't take it anymore. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, tears streaming down her face. Hopper held her close to him, breathing in the scent of her hair, gripping her so she wouldn't fall. After a few minutes of hugging, Jim gently put Joyce down and held her face in his hands. That was when he finally knew that this was real, that the woman he loved had come to save him from the hell that was the Russian prison. Still cupping her face, he leaned down and brought his lips to hers.

The kiss was intense, getting deeper as it progressed. Joyce sighed into his mouth, her lips parting so Jim's tongue could dance with her own. She could feel him smiling against her lips, and she felt warm inside, pushing all of her bad thoughts out of her mind. _He's going home. He's finally going home. I'm actually going to be happy. I'm going to be with the love of my life._

Neither of them wanted the kiss to end, but like any other one, it had to. They broke apart, panting for breath before Joyce said the words. "I love you, Jim."

"I love you too, Joyce." Hopper brushed his thumb against her cheek, wiping away a tear that was trickling down.

"I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too."

Joyce grabbed his hand and clutched it so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"I'll never leave you again," Jim whispered. "I promise."

"Hey lovebirds!" Murray interrupted. "We've got to go!"

"Hop, you know this place better than we do. Where's the nearest exit?" 

"This way," he replied, pointing to his left. 

That was when they heard the door crash open behind them. Russians were entering the hall, aiming their guns towards them. "RUN!" Murray screamed.

All three of them turned on their heels and ran the direction that Hopper pointed to, hearing gunshots behind them as they turned the corner. "Give me the gun, Joyce!" Jim shouted above the noise. Joyce handed it to him, and he started to shoot at the guards while running backwards. Joyce could hear them dying, their yells piercing her ears as they hit the floor with a _thunk_. Soon, all of them were dead, and they kept running, trying to find the exit. 

"We're almost there!" Hopper yelled once again. Suddenly, the lights went out. Murray tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. "Why the fuck did the lights go out?" he asked as he made his way back to his feet.

Joyce and Hopper looked at each other. They knew what was coming. "Oh yeah, um, I forgot to tell you. They have one."

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!" Joyce shouted at the top of her lungs, fear coursing through her veins.

That was when the lights turned on, and the demogorgon was on them in the blink of an eye. But before they could run, a scream rippled through the hall. Joyce was on the ground, the monster lurking over her. A gash was visible in her shoulder, blood gushing from the wound. The demogorgon was getting ready to attack again, and Hopper knew he had to save her. "GO! NOW!" he yelled at Murray, and he turned and left, leaving the two of them.

By the time Jim reached her, the demogorgon was on top of Joyce, it's mouth open, ready to feed on her flesh. She screamed again as tears made their way down her cheeks. 

"JOYCE!" Jim shouted. He aimed his gun and shot bullet after bullet, distracting the creature as much as he could. Joyce began to crawl away from the scene, trying to save her life. She then heard a _thud_ , and she immediately panicked. "HOPPER!"

"I'm right here! It's ok, I'm here," he coaxed her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her to her feet. They ran from the Demogorgon until the came upon the exit, shutting the door and locking it right before it could catch them. Murray was outside waiting for them. "We have to get her to a hospital. NOW!" Jim exclaimed.

They heard shouts all around them of Russians, and the three of them ran as fast as they could to safety, never turning back.

* * *

At some point, the trio made it to the Russian hospital and were admitted without any trouble. Joyce's shoulder was able to get stiches and made a great recovery. A few days later, they were on a plane, going back home to where everyone was waiting for them. 

During the plane trip, Joyce and Hopper were sitting next to each other, holding hands as she leaned her head on his shoulder, him pressing soft kisses to the top of her head. She tilted her head to look at him, gazing deeply into his ocean blue eyes, and smiled. She was happy for the first time in over a year, and she finally had him by her side. Joyce closed her eyes and kissed him, feeling his hand tangle into her hair. When she let go, she whispered, "I love you. So much."

"I love you too," Jim responded. "I always have. And I always will."

And they stayed in that position until they both fell asleep, grateful to be in each other's arms once again.


	10. The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to apologize for not updating in so long. College has really gotten to be stressful for me lately, especially because of the coronavirus. I hope you are all staying safe and practicing social distancing!
> 
> Second, I want to tell you some details about this oneshot. This is written to Katy Perry's new ballad called Never Worn White, and I thought I could use some of the lyrics from it and tie it to Jopper. Not all of the lyrics will be written out and the ones used will most likely not be written in order. The song would be in Joyce's point of view in this story. I hope you enjoy!

Joyce stood in front of the mirror, taking it all in as the zipper on the back of her wedding dress had finally reached the top. The veil was slowly being placed on her head as she was handed her bouquet of flowers. After Karen had secured the veil, gasps and cries of joy filled the room!

"You look amazing, Joyce!" Karen squealed with excitement. "Hopper is totally going to cry after seeing how beautiful you are."

"Oh stop it. You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it! You know how much he loves you."

Karen was right. Hopper had been in love with Joyce since they were in high school, but he never really admitted it until about two years ago when he had kissed her. "I love you, Joyce," he had told her. "I always have. And I always will."

Joyce had felt the same way, but didn't give into her feelings until months after Bob had died. Sometimes she couldn't contain it, biting her lip whenever she thought about Jim, thinking about how much he cared for her in the darkest of times, being the one who made her feel like she wasn't alone in the world. She would even look through a box of memories that she had kept in her bedroom closet that no one else knew about, reminiscing about the good times, and realizing that some of the best moments of her life were with him. 

The day that Hopper had proposed to her was the most magical night of her life. They were out to dinner at Enzo's and she had went to the bathroom, coming back out to see Jim on one knee, rose petals laying on the table that weren't there before she had gone, and him saying, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're the love of my life, Joyce. Will you marry me?"

Tears streamed down her cheeks as Joyce nodded in response, and he pulled her in for the deepest, most passionate kiss. He slipped the ring on her finger, clutching her other hand as he did so, never wanting to let go.

_You love the hell out of me_

_And heaven's where we could be_

_I've stood on the edge of love_

_But never took the leap_

_And you took my armor off_

_And did it delicately_

_And I let my guard down_

_To show you what's underneath_

Now, as she stood in the beautiful white dress, minutes away from walking down the aisle, tears began to well in Joyce's eyes. "Shit, I promised myself I wouldn't cry!" she shouted at herself as her bridesmaids gathered around her, Karen handing her a tissue. She dabbed her eyes, making sure her makeup wasn't messed up. 

When Joyce had composed herself, Karen asked, "You ready, hun?"

"Yeah, I am."

The bridal party lined up at the beginning of the aisle and the music began. As Joyce got closer and closer to her turn, the more nervous she got. She was marrying the one that she loved the most, the person that was there for her no matter what was going on in his life. Jim was special, and she didn't want to screw up what they had for each other. But as soon as she began to walk, Joyce locked eyes with Hopper, and everything felt just right.

She slowly made her way down the aisle, the train of her dress flowing behind her. Jim's smile never left his face, and well before she got to him, she could tell that there were tears in his eyes. _Damn it, of course Karen was right_. 

Joyce glanced at Will, Jonathan, and El as she passed them, seeing the smiles on their faces, the one etched upon El's face shining the brightest, and she couldn't help but grin in return. She approached Hopper and took his hand that reached out for her as the music faded away. Joyce handed her bouquet to Karen and turned to him, and Jim couldn't help but gaze deeply into her chocolate brown eyes and taking in her beauty. He then gently lifted the veil away from her face, never breaking eye contact with her. 

"Hey," he said softly, not wanting the others around them to hear.

"Hey," she responded, keeping eye contact with him.

_See us in sixty years with a full family tree_

_Give my blood, sweat and tears to reach our destiny_

_'Cause love is a minefield, let's take this walk, baby_

_'Cause at the end of it all, I choose you and you choose me_

Vows were filled with love and tears from both Joyce and Hopper, and even the wedding guests themselves couldn't help but cry at the words being exchanged between the two. As quick as it had all began, the time had finally come to seal the marriage. The priest officiating the ceremony turned towards Jim.

"Do you, Jim Hopper, take Joyce Byers to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," he immediately stated in reply, gripping Joyce's hands in his.

"Do you, Joyce Byers, take Jim Hopper to be you lawfully wedded husband."

_'Cause I've never worn white_

_But I wanna get it right_

_Yeah, I really wanna try with you_

_No, I've never worn white_

_But I'm standing here tonight_

_'Cause I really wanna say, "I do"_

"I do," Joyce said, smiling up at Hopper.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jim pulled Joyce closer to him, laying his hands on her waist, leaning down and kissing her deeply. The guests clapped, and some even cheered, as Joyce kissed him back, putting all the love she had for him into it. She pulled away, tangling her fingers into his own, Karen giving the bouquet of flowers back to her, and they both made their way back down the aisle, people celebrating as they passed by. "I love you," Hopper murmured in her ear so she could hear him above the noise.

"I love you too," she responded, leaning into him as they went along, the bridesmaids and groomsmen following behind them.

_I do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were some other lyrics that I wanted to fit in here, but I couldn't seem to get them to work out, so I'll add them here:
> 
> Now let's dance with each other  
> Mixing all of our colors  
> It's so easy to surrender  
> When you finally find forever
> 
> The last two lines of this really describe the two of them, and I really wanted to use them, but it just wouldn't fit. So you can think of Jopper wedding with these lines as well.


	11. Office Sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously given by the title, this oneshot has sexual content, so if you're not comfortable with it, you can move on the next one. Joyce has also been hired at the police station as a detective in this story.
> 
> Enjoy!

Joyce had been waiting for him at the police station all day, stuck behind her desk doing paperwork while Hopper was out looking for clues on a burglary just outside of town. It has been about two years since they finally admitted their feelings for one another, and right now, all that Joyce could think about was how amazing Jim was in bed. She couldn't get the details out of her head; the way he gently touched her skin, using his mouth in ways that she had never felt before, and the bliss that she would feel when he was inside of her was something so passionate, and that was definitely something that she could get used to. Joyce but her lip as her thoughts went wild, feeling a slight wetness between her legs.

"Fuck," she whispered to herself. "Now is not the time." She didn't want to be thinking these thoughts, especially while at work, but as time progressed, she knew she couldn't handle it much longer.

Night fell across the sky, and Joyce still sat at her desk, waiting in agony for Hopper to return to the station. At one point she even thought about excusing herself to the bathroom to take care of her arousal, but she refused to leave her spot. "God dammit, Hopper. Hurry up," she said out loud, worried because he has been out all day and she wanted to feel him against her. Even though she was clearly worked up over her thoughts of him, she wanted him to be safe too. Joyce was in love with him for the longest time before she revealed her feelings, and was surprised when Jim immediately kissed her in return. They have been inseparable ever since, always being by each other's sides. That's why this situation pained her, him going out to investigate the burglary while she had to suffer, waiting for him to make sure he was alright.

It was almost midnight by the time Hopper entered the station, making his way into his office and sitting in his chair, sighing at the day he had endured. Joyce heard him come in, and she felt her legs slightly spread apart, anxious for his touch. 

There was no one else in the station, just the two of them, and Hopper got up and walked to Joyce's office, making his way behind her and hugging her. "Hey, I'm going to go to the bathroom real quick, and then we'll go home, alright?"

"Okay, I'll be here," Joyce responded, slowly closing her eyes as Jim leaned down to kiss her, lingering on her lips longer than expected before he pulled away and exited the room. Joyce knew that she couldn't keep her arousal down until they got home, and the kids would be there, so she knew this was her only chance. She noticed Hopper's coat laying across his chair, so she knew that he would go back in there. She made her way to the office, sitting on his desk and trying to be as sexy as she felt. When Jim returned and his eyes fell upon her, he felt a strain against his pants.

"What do you think you're doing, Joyce?" he asked seductively, making his way to her and placing his hands on her hips. Joyce felt the heat of his hands as they slipped under her shirt, softly grazing her skin.

"You, I hope," she replied, biting her lip. She knew that he liked that, and she could see it in his eyes.

Jim unraveled right then and there, leaning down to capture her lips on his. Their tongues danced as they fought to take off their clothes. When they were down to their undergarments, Joyce murmured, "You have no idea how long I've waited for this. I've been wet all day for you."

"I can see that," Hopper grunted, running his hand across her covered mound, feeling how soaked her panties were. Joyce moaned at the touch, the feeling of ecstasy rising within her. 

She reached behind her and unclipped her bra, throwing it to the side for it to land on the floor. Jim stood there looking at her, admiring how beautiful her body was, and happy that he had it all to himself. He held her against him as he kissed down her body, making sure to leave marks where her skin was most sensitive. Joyce breathed heavily in response, and gasped when his mouth attached to her breasts. He licked and sucked on both of them until they were hard, and at this point, his erection felt like it was going to pop out of his underwear.

"You know this won't do, right?" Hopper nodded towards her panties, getting down on his knees and using his teeth to pull them off of her. Joyce smirked as she kicked them away, now completely naked. He reached up and massaged her clit, wanting to see how wet she was. Joyce threw back in head, a sound of pleasure escaping her lips. Next thing she knew, two fingers entered her, and her mouth fell open, another moan coming out. Jim worked with his fingers for a minute before taking them away, deciding to use his mouth instead. Joyce gripped the desk as his tongue lapped at her, beginning to feel a warmth in her stomach. "Hopper....." her voice trailed off, reaching out a hand to grab his hair.

Joyce couldn't take the teasing anymore. "I need you inside me. Please."

That was all that Jim needed to hear. He discarded his boxers to the floor and grunted, "Turn around and lean over."

Joyce smiled at the thought and did what she was told, feeling a sting and Hopper smacked her ass. He grabbed her by the waist and entered her, and Joyce's lips formed a perfect 'o' at the feeling. She let out the loudest moan as Jim's thrusts quickened, pounding into her from behind. This was exactly the kind of sex that Joyce needed, and she could feel her release coming quickly. She moved her hips in sync with his, his tip hitting her g-spot. She came undone as the bliss she loved to feel so much came over her body, coming harder than she ever had before. A scream left her mouth as she released, and soon Jim spilled inside of her after a few more thrusts. They both stopped to catch their breaths before he pulled himself out of her. 

As they were putting their clothes back on so they could head home, Joyce couldn't help but say, "That was the best sex that I've ever had."

"Really?" Hopper's eyes went wide at her admission.

"Yes. I really needed that. I love you."

"I love you too. Let's go home."

Jim wrapped his arm around Joyce's shoulder as they left the station, the smiles never leaving their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the best at writing smut, but I hope you liked this nonetheless. Oh, and just to let you know, I couldn't stop thinking about the song Good in Bed from Dua Lipa's new album Future Nostalgia while writing this. Anyways, thanks for reading!


	12. Stronger Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> First off, I want to apologize for not updating for almost a month. College work has been a lot more stressful since everything went online, but now that I only have two weeks left, I should have a lot more time on my hands.  
> Second, I want to give credit to the person that came up with the general idea of this oneshot, so shoutout to @hipxhopper on Twitter. I love ya, Jo. This one's for you.  
> Enjoy!

It was a normal day at the Byers household, Joyce getting Jonathan and Will ready for school while Jim was reading through the newspaper. Since the two of them got together, Joyce and Hopper have never been happier and can never seem to stay away from each other. Joyce feels lost without him, to the point that she even cried in her sleep when she had a dream about him dying, waking up to see that he wasn't there next to her, and began to cry some more. She has always tried to stay strong for her kids, but when Jim was there holding her against him, she felt even stronger, and she can never stop smiling.

That day, the kids were ready a little earlier than usual, and Joyce took advantage of the opportunity. "Alright, I'm going to go shower," she announced to everyone. She's usually so busy that she never has time to take a proper shower before rushing the kids to school and getting to work just on time. She went over to Hopper and pecked him on the lips before walking away. "I love you," he said as her back was towards him. 

"Love you too!" she shouted back as the shower turned on.

Jim went back to his newspaper, studying the articles about the burglaries in town and sipping his coffee when Jonathan came to the table and sat down across from him. He looked down at his hands as Hopper glanced up at him. His cop instincts immediately kicked in and he got suspicious. _He's nervous. Why is he nervous?_

He was about to say something when Jonathan spoke first. "Hey um, I just want to say that I'm happy."

Jim raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, that's good to know. Is there a specific reason why?"

Jonathan nodded in response. "Yeah, I notice how happy you and my mom are when you're together and that makes me happy."

Hopper sets down the newspaper on the table and keeps listening to what Jonathan is saying. "These past few years have been the roughest ones of our lives, and I'm grateful and happy that you're here because you make my mom smile. Remember that time when we all went to the movie theater to see that one film that Will was so excited about? When it was about halfway through, I looked over at the both of you, and I saw her leaning her head against your shoulder, looking up at you with a smile that told me that she was the happiest person on the planet. I hadn't seen that smile in years, and you were the one that let her use it."

Little did they know that the entirety of the conversation that Jim and Jonathan were having was being heard by Joyce, her standing in the bathroom with a towel around her body, her eyes filling with tears of joy. She leaned against the bathroom door, trying to hear the rest of what was being said.

"You know one of the things I love the most about your mother?" Hopper was asking. "How strong she is. She might have felt like she was going crazy when Will first disappeared, but she held it together for you. She has been through hell and back so many times, but she always pulls through for you kids. She's caring and kind, silly and loving. That is the Joyce that I love."

Joyce had pulled on her clothes while trying not to cry too loud, getting emotional at Jim's words. The love she had for him was not anything like she ever had with Bob. Throughout her life, Joyce had tried hard to find someone that actually cared about her and loved her for who she was through thick and thin, but could never seem to find the right person. She thought she had it with Bob, but after he died she realized that she didn't really feel love towards him like she did for Hopper. Everything that was being said was true. She hadn't felt this happy in years, and it was nice to know that Jonathan could see that so he knew that everything is okay, that nothing could make her sad ever again, because if something did happen. Jim would be by her side to hold her and be there for her.

"Yeah, she's strong," Jonathan was currently saying. "But she's even stronger when you're with her."

At this point it was hard for Joyce to stay in the bathroom and not just run out and squeeze Jonathan and passionately kiss Hopper, but she resisted, wiping the tears that were flowing from her eyes, then putting on a light makeup look and checking her reflection in the mirror before going out into the kitchen. "I guess we should get going. Go get in the car, guys!"

"Mom, I can drive," Jonathan tried to say before Joyce cut him off. 

"No, that's ok sweetie. I want to take you all," she insisted.

Jonathan got up from the table, grabbing his backpack and heading out the door with Will and El right behind him. "I'll be out in a minute!" Joyce yelled from inside the house and the car doors slammed shut. She took a seat next to Jim at the table and ran a hand on his thigh. "You know, I heard everything that you and Jonathan were saying."

Hopper almost choked on his sip of coffee when he heard what Joyce said. He turned to look at her, staring into her beautiful brown eyes. "Yeah? And every bit of what I said that I love about you is true."

"And every bit of what Jonathan said about me and how I feel is true."

They leaned into each other and joined their lips together for a passionate kiss, Jim cupping her face in his hand, feeling Joyce smiling against his lips. He pulled her from the chair she was sitting in and onto his lap, gripping her hips as she snaked her hands around the back of his neck. The kisses got deeper, and tongues were dancing together, and the smell of love was wafting in the air, but before they could go any further, Joyce and Hopper heard a loud noise coming from outside: _HONK!_

Joyce squealed and almost fell out of Jim's lap, but he held her tighter against him. She leaned her head down against his chest, laughing at what just happened. "Those darn kids, someone must have honked the horn in the car!"

"It was probably El, or at least it was her idea," Hopper replied. "She's always wanting to pull pranks."

"Yeah, well it's clearly a cue for me to get going, so I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you, too."

They kissed one last time before Joyce climbed off of Jim's lap and walked out the car, leaving him with the sound of the car driving away and a smile on his face.


	13. Small Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an idea given to me a while ago from @Nonisbitch on Twitter. You can find her here under the user Multi_love. I love you so much, Bella. I hope you enjoy it!

Joyce has been having a rough day at Melvald's. She's been working nonstop, not being allowed a break, and her back and feet were hurting so much she thought that it was going to kill her. She needed a rest, even if it was just five minutes. She's been working like this for the past month and was really starting to get tired of it. But she needed this job. How else was she going to have enough money to raise Jonathan and Will? 

She was finally able to coax her boss into giving her a break, allowing her ten minutes to eat her lunch, and so Joyce decided to call Hopper. She picked up the phone while holding her sandwich in her other hand and dialed her home number. Ever since they admitted their feelings for each other, Jim had decided to leave his cabin and move in with Joyce and the kids, bringing El along with him. He didn't want to spend any time away from her, and always had a sad look on his face every time that she left for work. 

"I don't understand why you don't just quit that horrible job and come work for me at Hawkins PD," Hopper stated one morning as she was leaving to head to the store. "You always complain about it, and you'd be much happier at the station."

"Jim, I'm fine. Really, I am," she replied. Until he actually told her something that would convince her to change her place of employment, Joyce was staying put.

The phone rang a few times before Jim's voice came through. "Hello?"

"Hey, I was finally able to get a break for the first time in ages."

"Really? So you decided to spend it talking to me?"

"You know I like hearing your voice. Besides, I'm eating a sandwich."

"And I like hearing yours."

A smile crept up on Joyce's face. "So, how is your day off treating you?" she asked.

"I'm fine. But I want to hear about you."

"Well, my back is killing me and my feet are so sore I think that they're numb."

Hopper huffed on the other end of the line. She knew that he hated it when she was in pain, physically or mentally. He hates seeing her work so hard in order to only be paid minimum wage. "You know that's not good, Joyce. You're being pushed too hard."

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine."

Jim knew she wasn't fine, but he went along with it anyway.

Pretty soon her time was up and Joyce had to get back to work. "I'll be home just in time to make dinner, okay?"

"Alright, see you then. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

They hung up and she sighed as she went back to what she was doing before her break, trying to ignore the pain in her back and feet. 

Meanwhile, Hopper was planning out what they were going to have for dinner that night. There was no way that he was going to let Joyce cook after she's had a long day at work and the pain that she's in. He had all of the things he needed to get started, and knew that if he didn't start now, there was no way that he was going to be finished by the time she got home, being as he is not an expert at cooking. But he wanted this to be special, so he knew it was what had to be done. 

He walked over to the stove, turning on one of the burners, and began working on the small surprise for the woman he loves.

* * *

Hours later, Joyce parked her car in front of the house, thinking about what she was going to do for dinner. She walked up the front door, but before she could walk in, a delicious smell caught her attention. _Did he really cook for me?_ She thought to herself. _Jim Hopper cooking an entire meal?_ It was very unusual for him to do something like that, especially because he has very little knowledge of how to cook anything. But he really had done it, and she needed to see it for herself.

She opened the door and the first thing she saw was Hopper, a huge smile etched upon his face. "Well, what do you think?" he questioned.

Joyce couldn't believe what she was seeing. Wonderfully cooked steak that looked divine, a heaping bowl of pasta that had alfredo sauce, and a smaller bowl of mixed vegetables that was so colorful. Her mouth began to water at the smell, and she was so happy that she beamed with joy. "Jim, this is amazing! This is better than what I could have done. But why did you do it?"

"You know why, Joyce," he responded as he took her into his arms. "You've been working your ass off lately and I wanted to give you a break."

"This means so much to me, thank you." Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at him. 

"It was nothing, really. I've learned quite a bit from watching you."

She chuckled, getting on the tops of her toes to kiss him lightly, and called the kids to dinner. 

They all sat in a circle at the table, engrossed in conversation, and ate until they couldn't any more. Joyce had never felt happier than she was in that moment, and she knew that this was the best meal that they have ever had, and it was all thanks to the man she loves the most.


	14. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This oneshot is based on another idea given to me a few months ago from @hipxhopper on Twitter. Hope you love it, Jo!
> 
> This also has no link and/or is not a continuation of a previous oneshot called 'Reunited.' These are two separate stories.
> 
> Trigger warning: there is mention of suicide in this as well.

They had done it. Joyce and Murray infiltrated the Russian base and got Hopper out safely. They had taken a private plane back home to Hawkins, and everything was going smooth on that ride until Jim had passed out. Joyce panicked, and as soon as they had touched the ground, he was rushed to the hospital.

Currently, Joyce sits at the side of Hopper's bed, watching him sleep. She didn't know if something was seriously wrong with him or if his unconsciousness was only because of less oxygen while being in higher elevation on the plane. Her mind was racing, thinking the worst could happen while she's sitting there holding his hand. She was constantly glancing at the heart monitor, worried that his heartbeat would suddenly stop. It's been hard enough for her being without him for the past year, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it if she lost him Jim again. 

To tell the truth, as time without him in her life passed, Joyce began to realize how much Hopper actually meant to her. He was there for her through everything thick and thin, and when he was gone, she had thought that she had lost her one source of comfort. She had missed the laughs they had shared and the cigarette breaks that they had together. She longed for his touch. When they were on that ride at the fun fair and they held hands, Joyce could feel the sparks and she knew that something was there. She loved him, and his passing made it that much harder to live. 

There was even a moment during the past year that Joyce was so depressed that she considered suicide. Even though she had the kids with her, it just didn't feel like enough at the time. She even took it as far as to take a knife into the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror, holding it against her throat as tears slipped down her face. Luckily, a few seconds later, Jonathan burst through the door and saw what his mother was doing. He yanked the knife out of her hand, throwing it to the floor.

"Mom, what are you doing, are you crazy?!"

Joyce couldn't keep her emotions inside of her anymore. She let out a huge sob and collapsed into Jonathan's arms, gripping him in a tight hug, slowly sliding both of them to the floor. "I'm so sorry," she cried. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Why would you think about doing something like that?"

"It's just that....it's just...." She couldn't get the words to come out. Since that night at Starcourt Mall, nothing was the same to her anymore. Every time she looked at El, she only saw Jim's face looking back at her. She couldn't go outside and smoke a cigarette without thinking about him. She couldn't think about their last moments together without breaking down in tears. All the happiness that she wanted to have with him after everything was over disappeared in front of her eyes and left a bitter sadness.

"It's Hopper, isn't it?" Jonathan asked in a whisper, so soft that she could barely hear him over her crying.

Joyce nodded, taking a hold of his shirt, pulling him closer to her. "I just can't live without him."

"You know we'll always be here for you, right Mom? Me, Will, El, we'll be right here."

"Oh, I know honey, I know."

From that moment on, Joyce vowed that she would stay for the kids. They needed her, and it wasn't worth taking her own life if they had to live through the pain. She didn't want that for them, and it's not what they deserved. The depression was a struggle and would still come in huge waves though, and it was hard for her to keep a hold on life.

But when Murray called her one day, telling her that he knew Hopper was alive and that he knew where he was, she had hope. She could actually smile again, and she felt happy for the first time in months.

Now, as she continued to watch his chest rise and fall, Joyce knew she couldn't hold back her feelings for any longer. She had to tell him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. 

"Hey, Hop. It's me, Joyce," she began. "I've been wanting to tell you something for so long, but I've never had the opportunity. And now that I don't know if I'll see you leave this hospital, I have no other choice but to just say it. I love you. I have always loved you. Even during my other relationships, I could never get you out of my head. You've always been by my side, and when you left, when I though you had died, it broke me. I almost couldn't live without you. You have meant so much to me, and I can't go on and not have you with me again. So please, stay with me. Don't leave me again, because I love you so much. I need you."

Joyce hesitated for a moment before leaning down to kiss his cheek, but as she got closer to him, Hopper turned his head so her lips landed on his own. She quickly pulled away in shock, not completely sure at what just happened. She then noticed that Jim's eyes were open, a smile spreading across his face. "I love you too, Wheelbarrow," he said in a soft voice. 

Joyce grinned in response, tears forming in her eyes. It turns out that Hopper wasn't asleep at all, that he was actually awake and heard everything that she said about him. She leaned down once again to kiss him on the lips, gripping his hand even tighter than before. When she pulled away, the feeling that washed over her was like something she hadn't felt in so long. She finally felt whole again.


	15. Until the Very End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a Hunger Games AU, where it is the 100th games. For the Quarter Quell, anyone from the age of 12 and up can be reaped, meaning the age limit doesn't stop at 18. Hopper and Joyce are the tributes from District 5, and this begins with the start of the games.  
> Might want to grab some tissues, this one's gonna be sad!

The twenty-four tributes stood in a circle on pedestals around the Cornucopia. Joyce scanned the arena, making sure to take note of the wooded area away from the center, feeling the breeze of the wind in her hair. She quickly spotted Jim's location about 6 pedestals away from her to her right, making eye contact with him. He nodded in response, pointing at their desired weapons in the mouth of the Cornucopia, a bag full of knives, a spear, and a bow with tons of arrows. Joyce knew that they had to get them first, but how would they be able to with the other blood thirsty tributes all around them?

The timer was running down, with thirty seconds left to go until the gong goes off. Joyce looked around at the ground, noticing some backpacks that looked to be filled with goodies. She locked eyes with Hopper once again and pointed at each of the packs closest to them, and he nodded in response again.

_10....._ _9....._ _8....._ _7....._ _6....._ _5....._ _4....._ _3...._ _2....._ _1....._

The gong sounds and Joyce sprints towards the Cornucopia, reaching down to take the pack that is in her path as she runs. Soon Jim is right behind her, and it took a moment for Joyce to notice that they were in front of everyone. They were going to reach it before everyone else! A quick second of relief floods through Joyce as they reach the mouth, grabbing as much of their weapons as they could. She attaches a sleeve with knives around her waist, taking the rest and stuffing them in her pack. Hopper slings the bag of arrows onto his shoulder and clutches the bow, an arrow ready to fly. Joyce gets a hold of the spear just in time to aim it at someone's heart and throw it, the sharp point piercing the skin of the male tribute from District 9. He falls to the ground, instantly dying. Joyce yanks the spear out of the person and they both start running away from the Cornucopia just as the rest of the tributes reach it.

"We have to get to the edge of the tree line, quickly!" Jim shouts above the noise of screams behind him as more tributes are being killed.

"What do you think that I'm trying to do, Jim?!" Joyce yells as they crash through the trees. The stop for a minute to look behind them at the blood bath. At least seven tributes are on the ground dead, and there was still more fighting. A female tribute was making a beeline towards them, sword in hand. Hopper drew back the arrow he had loaded earlier and released it. It hit the girl straight in the chest. She fell to her knees, looking as if she were in shock, and then slumped onto the ground.

"What district?" Joyce asked.

"11, I believe."

"Alright, we should probably keep moving."

They turned away from the fighting at the Cornucopia, running as fast as they could.

* * *

The pair of tributes from District 5 didn't see anyone for the rest of the day, and come close to nightfall, the cannons of the fallen from the blood bath began to go off. Joyce counted until there was silence once again. "12 dead," she stated. 

"And two of them were our kills," Jim muttered under his breath.

Throughout the day they had managed to find a pool of fresh water and hunted for food, coming to rest for the night with two full water bottles and a couple of squirrels. Currently, as they quietly sat on the ground underneath a tree, Joyce couldn't keep her thoughts from running wild. When her name was called that fateful day during the reaping, fear flushed through her veins as she made her way towards that stage. Jonathan had grabbed her arm and said, "Mom please, don't do this. Let me go in for you, I'll volunteer."

"No, honey. I can't stand the thought of losing you. I have to do this. I'll be okay."

She had turned away as Will screamed for her, tears flowing down his face. But everything changed when Hopper's name was called. When he stepped up onto that stage and stood next to her, she felt that if she were to die in the arena that she would go out with the man that she loves.

Back before the reaping day, Joyce had been developing feelings for Jim, but never knew how to express them to him. And now that they are currently facing death together, she knew that she couldn't keep it in much longer. But throughout all of the events, from the Tribute Parade to training to the interviews, Joyce couldn't gather the courage to tell him, and if she doesn't he could end up dying without knowing, and that would break her heart.

After the faces of the fallen tributes lit up the night sky, Joyce and Hopper settled in the for the night, putting out the fire so they didn't end up drawing tributes towards them, and snuggling into the cheap sleeping bags they had found in each of their packs. But Joyce knew that she wasn't going to be able to sleep. "I'll take the first watch, okay?"

"That's fine with me. Goodnight."

Soon the sound of Jim's breathing became even, and all was silent in the arena.

* * *

A few days had passed and only three more tributes had died, leaving the total left at nine, including Joyce and Hopper. They hadn't seen a single person since the blood bath, but that doesn't mean that the Gamemakers didn't give the audience a show. One morning they woke up to find that some of the arena near them was flooding, and the water was rising fast. They ran as fast as they could to get away from the giant waves threatening to swallow them up until they came to a point where the water suddenly stopped moving, and then it slowly drained away. 

"That was weird," Joyce stated. "I don't remember seeing a bigger body of water anywhere."

"I don't either," Hopper responded. "But it's the Gamemakers, what else do you expect? I thought I was about to drown when that first wave hit us."

"Yeah, me too."

Now, as they are hunting for food, they hear a rustling noise in the bushes behind them. Joyce takes a knife out of the sleeve around her waist and Jim puts an arrow into place and draws it back, ready to fire it. And that was when the female tribute from District 2 came out, a machete in hand, throwing Hopper's aim off as he released the arrow, missing by about two feet. Joyce grabbed a hold of the spear, readying herself for a fight, when she watches the tribute drive the machete straight into Jim's stomach. A blood-curdling scream rips through Joyce and he falls to the ground, the handle of the machete sticking up out of his body. She turned to the tribute, a tear running down her cheek. The tribute grabs another sword from the holder on their back and lunges at her, knocking her to the ground, losing her grip on the spear. Joyce quickly grabs a knife and turns her head away just as the sword comes down, hitting the soft ground instead of her face. They wrestle for a while before Joyce is able to pin the tribute down under her, dodging the jabs that were coming at her from the sword. She then plunges the knife into the tributes chest repeatedly, stabbing them until she knew they were dead, the cannon firing in the background.

Joyce looked down at herself, seeing the blood splatter on her shirt. _What have I become?_ She thought to herself. _This isn't me._

"Joyce..." Jim grumbled in pain behind her, his hand pressing down on his wound, blood everywhere in a pool around him. She crawled to him, placing her bloody hand over his and cupping his cheek with her other hand. 

"Jim, please," she begged, sobbing. "Don't leave me. I need you. Please!"

"It's okay, Joyce. It's going to be okay," he whispered, looking into her beautiful brown eyes.

At that exact moment, Joyce knew that Hopper wasn't going to make it, the color of his skin getting paler as the seconds went by. _Say something, now!_

"I....I love you, Hop."

A smile appeared on Hopper's face as he replied softly. "I love you too."

Then his breathing and pulse slowed to nothing, and the canon fired.

Joyce sobbed even harder as she was still clutching his hand, the grief coursing through her veins. Then all her sad thoughts were interrupted by another. _I have to do this. I have to win. I have to win for him._

Joyce leaned down, pressing her lips to his for a moment before gathering all the weapons around her, looking back at his face one last time, and walking away.

* * *

A week later, the Hunger Games had come down to two tributes left, one of them being Joyce. After Hopper's death, she told herself she was going to win, that she was going to go home to Will and Jonathan. But most of all, she was going to win for Jim. Even though life would be hard without him, there was no way that she was going to give up, and she knew that he wouldn't want her to either. She also promised herself that she wasn't going to let any of this changer who she was. She is not a ruthless killer, and she still felt ashamed of herself for how she had murdered that District 2 girl. She did what she had to do to survive, and she knew Hopper would see it that way too.

Now, after a long day, Joyce had finally made her way to the Cornucopia, where she knew the last tribute would be found. She crept up on the male tribute from District 4, spear in hand, her other weapons ready if needed, and jumped in front of him, trying to strike him with the spear, but the tribute was able to move away in time. He jumped up onto his feet, clutching a trident in his hands. _How the hell was he able to get that?_ Joyce wondered. She didn't remember seeing it at the beginning of the Games. _Most likely from sponsors._

He came at her, ready to hit her in the chest with the trident, and Joyce turned away, but not quickly enough. One of the points of the trident struck her shoulder, causing her to scream in pain, feeling blood flowing down from the wound. _Fuck!_

She had no choice but to shake it off, because he was running at her again, but she got her spear up in time, blocking the hit, metal clanging against metal. It continued until they had both disarmed each other, and Joyce glanced around, noticing that the tribute didn't have any other weapons. This was her chance! Before he could bend over and pick up his trident, she ran towards him, knife in hand, and when she reached him, she plunged it deep into the side of his neck. The male tribute made some gurgling sounds, blood coming out of his mouth, before falling face first onto the ground, the canon firing seconds later.

The announcer's voice boomed throughout the arena. "This year's victor of the 100th Hunger Games, the fourth Quarter Quell, Joyce Byers!"

Joyce looked up at the sky and realized what had just happened. _I did it, Jim. I won. I'm going home._


	16. First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Before you read this oneshot, I just want to apologize for how long I have been gone. I know I haven't updated for over two months, and there are reasons as to why. August went by fast because I was busy preparing for another semester of college, and then I've been busy through all of September with college work, so I just haven't had much time for writing on here. I am currently in a Creative Writing class, so I hope that it helps me spark ideas, but I just want you to know that I'll probably be finished with these oneshots when I arrive at the 20th one. Again, I'm so sorry for being inactive, but to make up for it, I've written a first date for Jopper, and I really hope you enjoy it. Thank you for your patience.

He had finally done it. Jim Hopper walked up to Joyce Byers in Melvald's and actually asked her out on a date. He had been wanting to do it for weeks, but he never had enough courage to talk to her about dating, especially because she can be very sensitive about it. Hopper has had feelings for Joyce for as long as he can remember. He couldn't seem to get the image of her out of his head. The way her smile lit up the room, her eyes sparkling when the light from the ceiling hit them perfectly, the way she played with her hair when she was nervous or anxious. Jim smiled to himself just thinking about her as he stood in front of the mirror in his cabin, trying to figure out what shirt to wear. He decided on a plain white dress shirt with a black jacket and tie, and then went out the door to pick Joyce up at her house.

He arrives at the house a little white later, cutting the engine to his car. He sat there for a few minutes, nerves building up in him. This was really happening. Jim was about to take the woman that he has loved for so many years on a date. He never thought that he would get another chance at being with her. It's all he ever wanted, and now he worried that it might not be perfect and that he wouldn't be good enough for her. But he needed to push that aside because he was now making his way towards to front door, knocking three times. A moment later, Joyce opened the door and looked up at him with a smile. 

"Hey Jim," she spoke softly.

"Hey...." Hopper could hardly speak because he couldn't take his eyes off of her. The simple dress she was wearing was a dark blue with sparkles along the top, and the length came down to her knees. It hugged her figure perfectly, and it made her eye makeup stand out on her delicate skin. He wasn't used to seeing her dressed up, but he would never get tired of the sight.

Joyce usually didn't like putting on dresses for any kind of event that she were to attend, but this was different. She wanted to feel beautiful, and she most certainly did when she tried on that dress for the first time. She couldn't resist buying it, even though it made a bigger dent in her wallet than she initially wanted. It was all worth it, though, for she was wearing it on a date with Jim, the person that she has counted on and has loved for so long, even though she doesn't express it. Joyce has known for some time that Hopper wanted to ask her out. He always wanted to be close to her physically, like sitting close to her on the couch at her house with his arm wrapped around her, and he liked to shower her with compliments on how great of a mother she is and how she deserves to be happy. It made her fall for him more and more each day, and she was delighted when he finally asked her on this date.

"So," she said, still standing in the doorway. "Shall we head out now?"

"Yeah, we should. Don't want to miss our reservation."

Soon they pulled in to the parking lot of Enzo's restaurant, the fanciest place to eat in all of Hawkins, and made their way inside, sitting at the table that was reserved for them. They looked over their menus and picked what they wanted to eat, and then made small talk as they waited for their meals.

"How are they? Will and Jonathan, I mean."

"Oh, they're good. Will is just glad to be with his friends, and Jonathan has Nancy, so I guess you could say that we're happy."

Hopper grinned as he listened to her, taking in her beauty in the dimly lit room. Whenever she talked about her children, Joyce would smile so wide that her nose would scrunch up, and that was one of the cutest things that he loved about her.

After talking for a little while and finishing their meals, Jim knew that he couldn't wait any longer. He had to tell her exactly how she felt about her, and he knew now was the perfect time as they were waiting for the dessert to come. 

"Joyce?"

"Yeah?"

He took a hold of her hand that was resting on the table and intertwined their fingers together. "I want you to know that I love you. I have loved you for so long, and I've been scared to act on my feelings, but I'm so glad I did, because tonight, being with you, has been one of the best nights I've ever had."

Joyce was speechless. Yes, she knew that Hopper had felt that way about her, but she didn't expect him to tell her how he is feeling. He's more of the type of person that keeps his feelings bottled up inside of him, but he has done the complete opposite tonight.

"Jim, I love you too"

"You do?"

"Of course I do. You've been there for me more than anyone else has. You've stuck by me through some of the hardest times in my life, and I'll always be grateful for that."

They were staring into each other's eyes, slowing leaning towards each other, when they were interrupted by the waiter bringing them their dessert, an ice cream sundae that they were sharing with each other. They didn't want to wait to eat it, so they dove right in with their spoons and enjoyed the sweetness.

* * *

Joyce and Hopper were now back in the car, him taking her back to her house. They soon pulled in the driveway, and they just sat there, waiting for someone to say something. Joyce looked down at her hands, clearly nervous. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn't want to take things too fast. 

"So, I'll um, I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then."

Another moment passed before Joyce leaned towards Hopper and planted a light kiss on his cheek. She then opened the door to the car and went to get out, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She turned her head towards him, and in the next second, his lips were on hers in a passionate kiss. His hands were soon tangled in her hair and she rested hers on his shoulders, pulling them closer together. Her eyes fluttered shut, taking in the moment as best as she could, before it was over way too soon. They pulled apart and another smile crept onto Joyce's face. She couldn't help herself. She felt like she was the only person that mattered to Jim, and maybe that was true after all.

"I love you," she whispered, leaning in closer to him once again.

"I love you too," he replied, bringing his hands up to cup her face. They kissed once more before Joyce left him there in the car, leaving him to feel like the luckiest man in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! I know it's short, but I wanted to give you something to make up for the time that I've been gone. Thank you for reading!


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